I recently purchased a very abused '87 coupe. Among many other issues, someone has "cut" out some of the fuse links that should have been connected to the "jump" connector behind the battery. Does anyone know where to get replacement "fuse links? Can you just insert an inline fuse? If so, what amperage? Also, just in front of the battery, coming out on the large wire loom that goes into the firewall, there is a connector with two red wires in the two pin connector (male side). On the female side, there are two orange wires, one in each of the two pins. Someone just cut those two orange wires. Where did they go? I can't find any loose orange wires hanging around. Thanks.

 

NAPA sells fuse link wire, see the Factory Service Manual electrical section for instructions on how to install it correctly. The correct FSM is also your best bet for sorting out the unknown wires.
Also a good idea to post a picture, another 87 owner may be able to help if you do that, good luck.

 

Regarding the links....those are measured by the gauge of the wire. They are basically a thin strip of metal inside a rubber case that will only carry what voltage the wire that size should carry...any more voltage and they melt. Its not exactly the same thing as a fuse system, but similar. The comparable fuse would be determined by the load on that circuit and they are all different. I just recently had to do the same thing with the link for the fan...link wire was rotted and broke off. Only had a fuse holder available at that time and knowing the link was 16 gauge, I assumed it would take a med size fuse. NOT>>> !
it required a 30 amp breaker to maintain current to the fan from the relay. About what the motor required for start up. New replacement links are available in most all sizes at fusable link stores everywhere.

The links can all be ID'd in the FSM for their size. There are about 5 or 6 on the jump post.
The majority will be 12, 14 and 16 gauge. Those wires on the post are the most important on the car...ECM power source, interior, eng mngt...why would someone chop all those and risk destroying the entire harness and electrical system?

I'd try to keep the links and replace with new that you solder in place with heat shrink to cover the joints. Tape is nowhere near good enough on hot wires....

That chopped (butchered) harness pigtail is/was the primary cooling fan relay. It was right under the master cyl on or near the wheel well. It had a wire to a fusable link to the battery, a wire to the harness and wires to the relay and then fan.
Somebody butchered the wires trying a bubba bypass when they applied their 1960 mechanical/technical knowlege to a computer controlled engine. I guess they could'nt find a flex-fan to fit the water pump pulley....

If you want to salvage this car, get yourself an older FSM that has
the 2nd book for electrical in color. Its the exact same color codes in the book as the harness on the car, which makes it ten times easier to read and follow.

Good luck and I applaud the effort to save a great yr model.
I've owned several 87's all with various options and still have a DD in the driveway.
If you have any questions along the way, feel free to ask. There isn't much about an 87 that I have not seen or repaired or replaced...

1st tip: The cars grounds are more important to engine control than the hot wires are. Everything is monitored or managed thru ground path completion. Power is always ON. Its the grounds that get completed or disconnected to make something work. Also, anything that uses the ECM for mngt will have a "reference" voltage signal sent from the ECM thats used as reference. Thats typically 5v but can vary.

Enjoy.
half the fun in salvaging an old car is learning how to get to the Harbor Freight store in your city !

 

Thanks for the replies. Good info on the "fuse links". I'll go to NAPA, and see what they have. Relative to the "connector with the two cut orange wires"...There is relay where you describe, under and in front of the brake master cylinder, attached to the fender, that does have a has a connector with more than just two orange wires. I think that is the fan relay (?). The two wire connector I'm trying to identify is hanging loose below that relay, and only has two wires...two orange wires on the male side, two red wires on the female side. I do have the FSM w/the separate wiring diagram manual that has been a great help, but for the life of me, I can not find any connector on any page that has just two orange wires on it.

 

If the fan relay is there then that mess you have is a single orange wire thats been cut and the same with the red. Its some added plug for who knows what....I'd bet that if you took the plug off the wires would want to lay down in the harness if the cut was reconnected.
I cannot think of what else (OEM) that would be there...Fuel relay is near-by...around the corner by wheel well... MAF relays behind battery.

It had to be somebodys add-on junk for some device they took with them when they sold the car.

 

I wanted to get back to you and thank you for all your help. I also wanted to tell you want I finally found. The connector, that had two red wires on the female side, and orange wires on the male side, is the main power going to the fans (one for the cooling fan, one for the aux fan). If you look on page 10-1 (I believe) in the supplemental wiring FSM, you will see that those two fuse links appear to be directly connected to the battery (as opposed to being connected to the "jumper block". Here is what I think could have happened (allow me to take a little literary freedom). I believe that what may have happened is that Bubba was at the NFWD Drag Nationals. In the heat of competition, the car wouldn't crank. Bubba diagnosed the problem to be the positive battery cable. He disconnected the cable from the battery, but there were 2 wires preventing him from yanking the cable out. Not to be denied his victory, he quickly took out his multipurpose 28 blade pocket knife given to him by his cousin, Elley Mae, and cut the two orange wires (not realizing that there was a connector less than 2 inchs from his cut). He replace the positive cable only to be eliminated (the NFWD Drags stands for National Front Wheel Drive Drags). When questioned, he told the officials that since the engine was in the front, he thought it was front wheel drive. They didn't buy it.
On the way home, he now found the car to be overheating (duh, no fans). Not to be disheartened, he quickly cut the main wire going the fan, butt spliced a piece of green #18 wire, strung it tightly from the left side of the radiator back to the fire wall, then spliced a #14 red wire to it, strung it tightly across the fire wall over to the heater, down the fender, through the door jam, and neatly stripped the wire, and stuck in the instrument fuse socket. Amazing........................!!!!!!!!! ! "Ya have a good day!"